Education in Traditional

Slaughter, Butchery and Curing

Traditional knowledge is passed on by hand. In our classes, we hand-down our

knowledge to you using the simplest tool we know: your hands.

With your animals we can teach you to slaughter, butcher and cure lamb, goat, pigs & poultry. Be equipped from then on to do your own animal harvesting.

Slaughter: Brandon drives to you and we harvest your animals on the field they were raised on. This provides low stress for everyone and a calm death for the animal. Butchery & Curing: Brandon brings the animals back here to our walk-in refrigerator where they hang an appropriate length of time (overnight for pigs, a week for ruminants) and you come to our butcher shop for your hands-on education. We provide simple but extravagant meals each day, relevant to the tasks of that day.

Testimonial:

“I just had to write and thank you for one of the most profound experiences of my life. I never thought when I endeavored to raise Tamworths that the butchery experience would be as amazing and fulfilling as actually raising the animals. I cannot thank you enough for your kind presence and the care and thoughtfulness that goes into your work. Because of you and your talents we were able to pay homage and honor every ounce of flesh; my animals became educational ambassadors, not just cuts of meat. This, to me, could not mean more. I pride myself on the care of my animals and each and everyone one is loved, even if they are destined for my dinner table. You showed me this love, energy, and passion does pay off through supremely healthy

animals and the highest of quality. I will think of you and this experience fondly and anticipate our future work with one another. I can’t wait till the next butcher date.” –Nicole, Washington

From the Pacific Northwest’s

Vashon Island …to your farm.

Philosophy Webelievethattheresponsiblestewardshipbehindpasture-based,small-scalefarmingdoesnotendwhentheanimaldies.Itmustalsoinformslaughter,butchery,andmeatcookerytoreachfruitionnotonlyingoodhealthandagreenerplanet,butingoodkitcheneconomyanddelightaroundthetable.Ourgoal,then,fromthemomentofslaughteristoensurethatyourcommitmenttosustainablefarmingresultsinmealsthatsustainyourenjoymentofthefoodyouworksohardtogrow.

Also, our classes include take-home materials. All our students receive every Butcher’s Salt e-chapter plus our pig slaughter and knife sharpening films,

a $170 value.

Our approach is unparalleled in the country. We help you build your field infrastructure and restore your kitchen economy.

Our education is full-scale covering: w facilities & equipment acquisition w natural (no-nitrite) meat preservation w traditional cookery w knife-in-hand training all day

w photography and film-taking are expected and encouraged all day.

2 class options, both alike in intimacy: • Private Tutorial or Small-Group Practicum:

Farmstead Meatsmith is unique in its desire to share the lost and dying arts of farm abattoir, culinary butchery and peasant charcuterie. We offer the unique experience of a hands-on solo private tutorial of our methods, including the knife in your hand all day. We can also accommodate 3-4 people in hands-on small group practicums on slaughter (day 1), butchery/curing (day 2) and charcuterie/sausage (optional day 3), making for either two- or three-day events.

• Public Classes: If the farmer wishes, we use his animals as material to teach our craft to a broader base of interested students across the country, up to 8 hands-on students.

For public or private events, we provide discounts for every paying student that signs up. The farmer’s processing cost is lowered, students get to learn and Meatsmith reaches more customers. It’s the ultimate win-win-win. Read the orange box (next page) for educational ticket costs. Read the blue box for processing discount details.

Don’t muzzle the ox while it treads the grain. All classes also include farm feasts straight from the animals we are working on. Expect us to utilize the liver, kidneys, heart, skirt and hanger steaks and, should a 3rd sausage/charcuterie day

be desired, 3-4 pounds of shoulder meat per person. We’ll deduct $9/pound for this shoulder meat off your total. We want everyone to go home with 3 pounds of sausage they stuff and link.

Hands-On Education Costs, per person, per event:

*PrivateEvents:2-Dayoption;$590forhostingfarmer,$760forallotherstudents 3-Dayoption;$910forhostingfarmer,$1,080forallotherstudents

• Minimumrequirementis3studentsfor$2,110for2days,or$3,070for3days.Privatesessions—1studentor1couple—followtheseminimums,less20%.

*PublicClasses:3-Day;$910forhostingfarmer,$1,080forallotherstudents• Minimumchargeis$3,070forupto3students.

All pricing reflects individual education tickets and what the hosting farm is responsible to pay should classes not fill to meet the minimum. Travel costs and processing charges are delineated elsewhere and separate from these education fees.

Any student not able to attend all days of an event can attend at $465/day for slaughter and butchery days or $490 for sausage day. This includes all meals, sausage and films/e-chapters.

Your education will save on processing, now as well as in the future.

For each paying student you receive 10% off your processing total, up to 80% off. For private events, we work with 1 pig or 2 sheep/goats keeping our ratio at no more than 4 students per pig or 2 students per small ruminant. Public class size is usually 8 hands-on students, which works well with either 2 pigs or 4 sheep/goats. Slaughter is Day 1; Butchery/Curing is Day 2. If you desire sausage and other charcuterie, this may comprise Day 3. Ticket prices for each day of class will be finalized for each job individually, but generally follow the orange box below. For the public class we need minimum 12 weeks advanced notice. The hosting farm and Farmstead Meatsmith both agree to advertise for all classes wherever possible. Farmstead Meatsmith takes all final reservations. After processing discounts, all travel and personal education costs must remain in full.

Our classes are unsurpassed in this country in depth and breadth. Our students are prepared by a hands-on experience that is not divided into amateur or professional ‘levels.’ All come and learn from the bottom up how to slaughter and sort a live animal to fit and flavor their pots, pans and ovens. In these classes you have the knife in hand all day, breaking down a live animal and full carcass with Brandon’s detailed guidance. With Brandon’s teaching on-site, our take-home materials and the meals to prove our pudding, you will be ready to tackle any home harvest goal.

For conferences, crowd events, keynote addresses, lecture series, learning farms, etc. Brandon can speak volumes from one hour of time to one or more days. Speaking can cover any topic related to the harvest of animals and can include some demonstration for students if you supply a ready animal or carcass. Speaking CV: Savory Institute, London; Wise Traditions Natl. Conference, Santa Clara; Washington Tilth Conference; American Devon Cattle Association National Conference, North Carolina; Healthy Life Summit, on-line virtual conference. See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OY1U94p34dw for sample talk.

vSpeaking/Demo Costs, per day (plus travel expenses): wPugetSound:$1,000wWAState:$2,000wOutsideWAState:$3,000

InPractice Meatsmitheducationisunparalleledinthebutcheringindustry.Forstartersnooneelseoffershands-oncoursesintraditional,humane,species-specificon-farmslaughter.Inthebutchershop,ourcarbon-steelknivesandcleavers-only(nobandsaws,malletsorchain-mail)approachensuresweemployartisticandeconomicskillwitheverycut.Thecowboyandrock-starareleftbehind;Brandonpreferstobringyouthemuchmoreunassumingyetempoweringwayofthepeasant,wherefamilyprovisionispriority. Ourclassesstandaloneintheirabilitytoequipthehomesteaderingoodmeatprocessing.Nowhereelseamongstbutchershopsandkitchenclasseswillyouencountertheabundanceofmanual,anecdotalandexperientialknowledgeasinaday’sworkwithBrandon.

BringBrandontoyourregionand

spreadtheharvest.

Brandon speaks across the country.

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London Florida

New Hampshire

North Carolina

Arkansas

Mississippi Utah Montana Oregon Washington Colorado California

AboutUs

Weareafamilyownedandoperatedbusiness,withextensiveexperienceinsmall-scalemeatproductionandprocessing. VashonIslandisourhomewherewehavefarmedwithour5childrenandcommunityfor8years.Wehavefoundabundantlifeinworkingwithourfood.Itisourjoytoimpartthistoyourfamilyandcommunity. Donothesitatetocalloremailuswiththeuniqueneedsofyourfarm.206.940.2040orHarvest@farmsteadmeatsmith.com.Alsovisitanatomyofthrift.comandfarmsteadmeatsmith.comformoretestimonials,films,productsandfruitofourwork.

Sincerely,BrandonandLaurenSheard